1、（20_届）本科毕业设计英语模糊语在商务英语信函中的语用功能THEPRAGMATICFUNCTIONOFVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE内容摘要模糊与精确是人类语言的两种基本属性。“模糊”的概念和理论自从提出后的几十年里，人们对模糊语言进行了系统的研究。商务英语信函一贯要求内容和信息准确，所以商务英语信函中的模糊语一直被忽略了。本文从四个方面对模糊语之前的研究进行了归纳，然后对商务英语信函做出分析。最后探讨了以下两个问题（1）不同类型的英语商务信函中模糊语的使用情况（2）在英语商务信函中模糊语具有哪些功能。从对相关英语商务信函的分析和研究，模糊语在中性
2、或好消息，传递不愉快和不确定答复的信息和说服信三种信函中，运用是不同的。而且模糊语言在商务交际中有四个语用功能使商务语言更礼貌和更有说服性；提高商务语言的灵活性，增强商务语言的正确性和提高写信人自我保护功能。关键词模糊；模糊语；商务信函；语用功能。IIABSTRACTVAGUENESSANDPRECISIONARETHEBASICATTRIBUTESOFHUMANLANGUAGESINCETHECONCEPTANDTHEORYOFVAGUELANGUAGEWASPROPOSEDBYLAZADEHIN1965,MUCHHASBEENDONEINSYSTEMATICANDDESCRIPTIVEST
3、UDYOFVAGUELANGUAGEBUSINESSENGLISHHASALWAYSBEENREQUIREDTOBECLEARANDCONCRETE,SOTHESTUDYOFVAGUELANGUAGEINTHISFIELDHASLONGBEENNEGLECTEDTHEAUTHORTAKESAREVIEWOFPREVIOUSRESEARCHONVAGUELANGUAGEFROMFOURPERSPECTIVESANDTHENMAKESANANALYSISONTHEBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCETHISSTUDYATTEMPTSTOEXPLORETHEFOLLOWINGTWOQUEST
4、IONS1HOWDOESTHEADDRESSERUSEVAGUELANGUAGEINDIFFERENTTYPEOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE2WHATPRAGMATICFUNCTIONSDOESTHEVAGUELANGUAGEMAKEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEBASEDONTHEDEFINITIONANDDELIMITATIONOFVAGUELANGUAGEINTHEPRESENTSTUDYANDTHEANALYSISOFTHEDATA,ITISFOUNDTHATTHEUSEOFVAGUELANGUAGEISDIFFERENTINGOODNEWSANDN
5、EUTRALLETTERS,BADNEWSLETTERANDPERSUASIVELETTERSVAGUELANGUAGEHASFOURPRAGMATICFUNCTIONSINWRITTENBUSINESSCOMMUNICATION1MAKINGTHEWRITINGMOREPOLITEANDPERSUASIVE,ENHANCINGTHEFLEXIBILITYOFBUSINESSLANGUAGE,MAKINGTHEEXPRESSIONMOREACCURATE,ANDENSURINGSELFPROTECTIONKEYWORDSVAGUEVAGUELANGUAGEBUSINESSCORRESPONDE
6、NCEPRAGMATICFUNCTIONIIICONTENTSABSTRACT1INTRODUCTION111OVERVIEW112RATIONALEOFTHEPRESENTSTUDY113THESPECIFICRESEARCHQUESTIONS214OUTLINEOFTHETHESIS32REVIEWOFPREVIOUSRESEARCHONVAGUELANGUAGE321PRAGMATICPERSPECTIVE322PHILOSOPHERPERSPECTIVE323PSYCHOLOGICALPERSPECTIVE324SEMANTICPERSPECTIVE43BUSINESSCORRESPO
7、NDENCES431DEFINITIONOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE432CLASSIFICATIONOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE533PRINCIPLEFORBUSINESSWRITING54SPECIFICCONTEXTSOFUSINGVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE641EMPLOYMENTOFVAGUELANGUAGEINGOODNEWSANDNEUTRALLETTERS642EMPLOYMENTOFVAGUELANGUAGEINBADNEWSLETTER843EMPLOYMENTOFVAGUELANGU
8、AGEINPERSUASIVELETTERS95FOURPRAGMATICFUNCTIONSOFVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE1051MAKINGTHEWRITINGMOREPOLITEANDPERSUASIVE1152ENHANCINGTHEFLEXIBILITYOFBUSINESSLANGUAGE1253MAKINGTHEEXPRESSIONMOREACCURATE1354ENSURINGSELFPROTECTION136CONCLUSION1461MAJORFINDINGS1462IMPLICATIONS1463SUGGESTIONFORFUR
9、THERSTUDY15BIBLIOGRAPHY16ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS171INTRODUCTIONVAGUENESSANDPRECISIONARETHEBASICATTRIBUTESOFHUMANLANGUAGE,BOTHOFTHEMAREVERYIMPORTANTPRECISIONISNEEDEDMOSTOFTIMEWHENPEOPLEWANTTOEXPRESSEMOTION,WHILEVAGUENESSALSOPLAYSANIMPORTANTROLEBECAUSESOMETHINGSAREVAGUEINFACT,VAGUELANGUAGEDOESNTAFFECTCOMMUNI
10、CATIONONTHECONTRARY,ITHASSPECIALFUNCTIONS,MAKINGTHEWORDSMOREPOLITEANDFLEXIBLEASTHEDEVELOPMENTOFINTERNATIONALBUSINESS,PEOPLEPAYMOREATTENTIONONTHEVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDSINTHEPRESENTTHESIS,THEAUTHORFINDSTHATVAGUELANGUAGEISUSEDTOREALIZETHEADDRESSERSCOMMUNICATIVEINTENTION,ANDITISTHERESULTOFTHE
11、ADAPTATIONTOVARIOUSCONTEXTS11OVERVIEWSINCEZADEHFIRSTPROPOSEDTHECONCEPTANDTHEORYOFVAGUELANGUAGE,PEOPLEHAVEDONEMUCHSYSTEMATICDESCRIPTIVESTUDYONVAGUELANGUAGEMANYLINGUISTSTHINKVAGUELANGUAGEPLAYANIMPORTANTROLEINCOMMUNICATIONWHETHERONECANPROPERLYUSEVAGUELANGUAGESHOWSONESLANGUAGEPERFORMANCE,BECAUSEVAGUELAN
12、GUAGEISANINSEPARABLEPARTOFLANGUAGECOMMUNICATIONZHANG,1998ITCANBEEASILYFOUNDTHATVAGUELANGUAGEHASALWAYSBEENUSEDASACOMMUNICATIVESTRATEGYINBUSINESSACTIVITIESTHEADDRESSERSHOWSHISCOMMUNICATIVEATTENTIONBYITANDITALSOPROVIDESADDRESSEEWITHAGUIDELINEFORUNDERSTANDINGTHEADDRESSERSINTENTIONSCRYSTALANDDAVY1975GIVE
13、FOURREASONSFORVAGUENESSAMEMORYLOSSTHESPEAKERFORGETSTHECORRECTWORDBTHELANGUAGEHASNOSUITABLEEXACTWORD,ORTHESPEAKERDOESNOTKNOWITCTHESUBJECTOFTHECONVERSATIONISNOTSUCHTHATISREQUIRESPRECISION,ANDANAPPROXIMATIONORCHARACTERIZATIONWILLDODTHECHOICEOFAVAGUEITEMISDELIBERATETOMAINTAINTHEATMOSPHERECHANNEL2000ARGU
14、ESTHAT“VAGUENESSINLANGUAGEISNEITHERALLBADNORALLGOODWHATMATTERSISTHATVAGUELANGUAGEISUSEDAPPROPRIATELY”IFITISUSEDPROPERLY,VAGUELANGUAGEWOULDLEADUNEXPECTEDSUCCESS12RATIONALEOFPRESENTSTUDYTHEAUTHORCHOOSESTHEVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDSASTHEOBJECTOFTHEPRESENTSTUDYMAINLYBECAUSEOFTHEFOLLOWINGREASONSF
15、IRSTLY,ALTHOUGHVAGUELANGUAGEHASBEENACCEPTEDEXTENSIVELY,ANDTHERESEARCHESABOUTITAREMOREANDMORE,THEREISSTILLALITTLERESEARCHABOUTTHEVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDSMAYBEITISBECAUSETHETRADITIONALIDEATHATBUSINESSCORRESPONDSSHOULDBECLEARLYANDACCURATELYWITHOUTANYAMBIGUITYHOWEVERTHISSTUDYARGUESTHATPROPERVA
16、GUELANGUAGEHASTHESPECIALCHARACTERISTICSOTHERWORDSCANTINSTEADSECONDLY,THESTUDYONVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDSHASPRACTICALSIGNIFICANTPEOPLECANUSEVAGUELANGUAGEPERFECTLYIFTHEYCOMPREHENDITTHEADDRESSERCANSHOWHISINTENTIONWITHVAGUELANGUAGEANDTHEREADERCANUNDERSTANDINGTHEREALMEANOFTHELETTERTHIRDLY,INTRAD
17、ITIONALOPINION,WRITINGBUSINESSCORRESPONDSSHOULDFOLLOW7CSPRINCIPLE,THATIS,BECLEAR,CONCISE,CORRECT,COURTEOUS,CONVERSATIONAL,CONVINCINGANDCOMPLETEHOWEVER,INSOMESITUATION,THE7CSCANTMEETTHEDEMANDBECAUSENOTEVERYTHINGINBUSINESSISCERTAINSOMETIMES,PEOPLEWILLADOPTVAGUELANGUAGERATHERTHANFOLLOWSTRICTLYTHE7CSSOA
18、STOAVOIDUNNECESSARYDISPUTESORTOFACILITATEBUSINESSDEAL13THESPECIFICRESEARCHQUESTIONTHEPRESENTSTUDYHASFOCUSEDONTHEEMPLOYMENTOFVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE,ANDINSODOING,ITHASSETOUTTOWORKTOWARDSANSWERSTOTHEFOLLOWINGTWOQUESTIONS1HOWDOESTHEADDRESSERUSEVAGUELANGUAGEINDIFFERENTTYPEOFBUSINESSCORRESP
19、ONDENCE2WHATPRAGMATICFUNCTIONSDOESTHEVAGUELANGUAGEMAKEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE14OUTLINEOFTHETHESISTHISTHESISCONSISTSOFSIXCHAPTERSCHAPTERONEISAGENERALPICTUREOFTHEVAGUELANGUAGEITINTRODUCESTHEVAGUELANGUAGEANDTHERATIONALOFTHESTUDYANDTHERESEARCHQUESTIONSCHAPTERTWOISAREVIEWOFPREVIOUSRESEARCHONVAGUELANGUAG
20、EANDTHEAUTHORMAINLYFOCUSESONPRAGMATICPERSPECTIVECHAPTERTHREEGIVESARESEARCHONBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEANDITMAINLYFOCUSESONTHECLASSIFICATIONOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEAND7CPRINCIPLESINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEWRITINGCHAPTERFOURDESCRIBESTHEDIFFERENTUSEOFVAGUELANGUAGEINDIFFERENTTYPEOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEINTHIS
21、CHAPTER,THEAUTHORUSESMANYBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCESASEXAMPLESTOSHOWTHATVAGUELANGUAGEUSEDINEACHTYPEOFLETTERISTHERESULTOFADAPTATIONTOITSSPECIFICCONTEXTTHEEMPLOYMENTFREQUENCYISDIFFERENTINGOODNEWSANDNEUTRALLETTERS,BADNEWSLETTERANDPERSUASIVELETTERSINCHAPTERFIVE,THEAUTHORGETSFOURPRAGMATICFUNCTIONOFVAGUELANGU
22、AGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEMAKINGTHEWRITINGMOREPOLITEANDPERSUASIVE,ENHANCINGTHEFLEXIBILITYOFBUSINESSLANGUAGE,MAKINGTHEEXPRESSIONMOREACCURATE,ANDENSURINGSELFPROTECTIONTHECHAPTERSIXISACONCLUSIONWHICHSUMMARIZESTHEMAJORFINDINGSOFTHEPRESENTSTUDYATTHESAMETIME,SOMESUGGESTIONSAREPROVIDEDFORFURTHERRESEARCHON
23、VAGUELANGUAGE2REVIEWOFPREVIOUSRESEARCHONVAGUELANGUAGETHEFOLLOWINGISABRIEFSURVEYOFTHERELATEDSTUDIESONVAGUELANGUAGESINCETHEPRESENTSTUDYISABOUTTHEEMPLOYMENTOFVAGUELANGUAGEINWRITTENBUSINESSDISCOURSEVAGUELANGUAGEISANINTERDISCIPLINARYSUBJECTWITHFOURPERSPECTIVES,NAMELYPHILOSOPHICALPERSPECTIVE,PSYCHOLOGICAL
24、PERSPECTIVE,SEMANTICPERSPECTIVEANDPRAGMATICPERSPECTIVEANDITWILLMAINLYFOCUSONPRAGMATICPERSPECTIVE21PRAGMATICPERSPECTIVEWHATPRAGMATICSFOCUSESONISTHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENLANGUAGEANDLANGUAGEUSERS,ANDTHEPRAGMATICPRINCIPLEOFTHELANGUAGEATMOSPHEREISVERYIMPORTANTTOTHISRELATIONSHIPPEOPLEALWAYSENHANCETHESPEAKING
25、EFFECTWITHVAGUELANGUAGECHANNELISONEOFTHEMOSTFAMOUSLINGUISTINTHISASPECTSHETHINKSTHATUSINGVAGUELANGUAGEISALANGUAGEPOLICYFORNATIVEENGLISHSPEAKERSINHERVAGUELANGUAGE,CHANNELLISTSEIGHTSITUATIONSORPURPOSESFORPEOPLETOUSEVAGUELANGUAGEGIVINGTHERIGHTAMOUNTOFINFORMATIONDELIBERATEWITHHOLDINGINFORMATIONLEXICALGAP
26、SLACKINGSPECIFICINFORMATIONDISPLACEMENTSELFPROTECTIONPOWERANDPOLITENESSINFORMATIONANDATMOSPHEREWOMENSLANGUAGECHANNEL,2000194THEVAGUELANGUAGESPRAGMATICFUNCTIONCANBESEENFROMTHEABOVEREVIEWANDAPRAGMATICPERSPECTIVEISNECESSARYINTHEPRESENTSTUDYFORTHEPURPOSEOFEXPLORINGTHEPRAGMATICFUNCTIONOFVAGUELANGUAGE22PH
27、ILOSOPHICALPERSPECTIVEWITHTHELINGUISTICTURNOFPHILOSOPHYATTHEENDOFNINETEENTHCENTURY,SOMEATTENTIONISDRAWNTOTHEPHENOMENONOFVAGUENESSOFNATURALLANGUAGEINTHEPHILOSOPHICALCIRCLEBALLMERPLEASELETUSKNOWIFYOUWOULDLIKETOTAKETHEMATTERFUTUREWEWOULDBEVERYHAPPYTOSENDSAMPLESTOYOUFORCLOSERINSPECTIONFORYOURINFORMATION
28、,WEAREPLANNINGARANGEOFCLASSICALENGLISHDINNERSERVICESWHICHSHOULDDOWELLINTHENORTHAMERICANMARKETWEWILLKEEPYOUINFORMEDONOURPROGRESSANDLOOKINGFORWARDTOHEARINGFROMYOUYOURSFAITHFULLY,PETERVAGUELANGUAGEISMOSTFREQUENTLYEMPLOYEDINTHISTYPEOFLETTERANDTHELETTERBECOMESATTRACTIVEANDPERSUASIVEWITHVAGUEWORDSINTHEABO
29、VEEXAMPLE,THEADDRESSERPERSUADESTHEADDRESSEETOPURCHASETHEIRNEWPRODUCTSWITHFREQUENTEMPLOYMENTOFVAGUELANGUAGEWHICHMAKESTHELETTERMOREPERSUASIVEHOWEVER,IFTHELETTERWASWRITTENWITHOUTVAGUELANGUAGE,ITWOULDBEVERYNORMALANDTHEPERSUASIVEFUNCTIONWILLBELITTLECONCLUSIONITCANBEEASILYFOUNDTHATVAGUELANGUAGEEXISTSINEVE
30、RYTYPEOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDSANDINDIFFERENTCONTEXTUAL,DIFFERENTVAGUELANGUAGEAREUSEDTOEXPRESSTHEADDRESSERSINTENTIONANDASWESEE,THEEMPLOYMENTFREQUENCYAREALSODIFFERENTINDIFFERENTTYPEOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDSINGOODNEWSANDNEUTRALLETTERS,LITTLEVAGUELANGUAGEISUSEDWHILEMOREVAGUELANGUAGEEXISTSINBADNEWSLETTERANDPERS
31、UASIVELETTERSANDTHECHOSENOFTHEVAGUELANGUAGEDEPENDSONTHEWRITINGPURPOSESCHANNEL2000ARGUESTHAT“VAGUENESSINLANGUAGEISNEITHERALLBADNORALLGOODWHATMATTERSISTHATVAGUELANGUAGEISUSEDAPPROPRIATELY”IFITISPROPERLYUSEDINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE,THEVAGUENESSWILLPROMOTETHEBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONANDHELPTOFULFILLTHECOMMU
32、NICATIVEPURPOSES5FOURPRAGMATICFUNCTIONSOFVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCEWITHTHERAPIDDEVELOPMENTOFSOCIOECONOMIC,ENGLISHBUSINESSCORRESPONDSHASBECAMEAIMPORTANTWAYTOCOMMUNICATIONWITHEACHOTHERINTHEGLOBALECONOMICFIELDSPEOPLECANEXCHANGETHEINFORMATION,CONTACTBUSINESSANDDEALWITHPROBLEMSBYITNOWTHEREAREM
33、UCHVAGUELANGUAGEAREUSEDEXTENSIVELYINBUSINESSCORRESPONDSANDITNOTONLYAFFECTTHEPRECISENESSOFTHEEXPRESSIONBUTALSOGETMANYADVANTAGESVAGUELANGUAGEHASFOURPRAGMATICFUNCTIONSINWRITTENBUSINESSCOMMUNICATION1TOMAKETHEWRITINGMOREPOLITEANDPERSUASIVE2TOENHANCETHEFLEXIBILITYOFBUSINESSLANGUAGE3TOMAKETHEEXPRESSIONMORE
34、ACCURATE4TOENSURESELFPROTECTION51MAKINGTHEWRITINGMOREPOLITEANDPERSUASIVEPOLITENESSISABASICPRINCIPLEINPEOPLESCOMMUNICATIONANDWESHOULDCONSIDERTHEFEELINGSOFOTHERSBROWNANDLEVINSON1987SUGGESTTHAT“ONEWAYFORSPEAKERSTOBEPOLITEWHENEXPRESSINGAPOINT,WHICHMIGHTBECONSTRUEDASTHREATENINGORRUDETOTHEHEARER,ISTOBEVAG
35、UE”LIKEWISE,CHANNELL1994206ARGUESTHATANUNDERSTANDINGOFVAGUESTRATEGIESWOULDSEEMTOBEESSENTIALTOTHEANALYSISOFSOMETYPESOFPOLITENESSPILEGAARD199735POINTSOUTTHATINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE,POLITENESSSTRATEGIESAREUSEDTO1PREPARETHEGROUPFORFORMULATIONOFTHELETTERSMAINREQUEST,2REDRESSTHEFACETHREATENINGACTOFREQUES
36、TING,AND3ROUNDOFFTHELETTERCHANNELL2000HOLDSTHAT“VAGUENESSISUSEDASONEWAYOFADHERINGTOTHEPOLITENESSRULESFORAPARTICULARCULTUREANDOFNOTTHREATENINGFACE”VAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCECANSAVEBOTHTHEADDRESSERSANDTHEADDRESSEESFACEALEXANDER199418POINTOUTTHAT“YOURREADERMUSTBEADDRESSEDINASINCERE,POLITETON
37、EYOURLETTERSHOULDBECOURTEOUSWHENWRITINGBUSINESSLETTERS”NOWTHATPOLITENESSISANIMPORTANTPRINCIPLEOFBUSINESSCORRESPONDENCE,ANDONEWAYTOFOLLOWTHISRULEISTOUSEVAGUELANGUAGE1YOURREPLYISALITTLELATETHEUSEOF“ALITTLE”EASETHETOUGHTONE,MAKESOPPONENTAWAREHISMISTAKEBUTGIVEHIMFACETHISPRACTICEISPOLITEANDSOCIALLYITMAKE
38、SPOSSIBILITYFORTHECOOPERATIONNEXTTIME2WESAWOTHERCOMPANYSCATALOGUE,ANDIMAFRAIDTHATYOURPRICEISNOTCOMPETITIVEITDOESNTUSE“EXPENSIVE”BUT“ISNOTCOMPETITIVE”THEIRMEANSARETHESAMEWHILETHESECONDONEISMOREPOLITEANDACCEPTABLEHUBLER1983ALSOHOLDSTHATTHEREASONFORUSINGHEDGESISTOMAKESENTENCESMOREACCEPTABLETOTHEADDRESS
39、EEANDTHUSINCREASETHEIRCHANCESOFRATIFICATION,WHICHINTURNWOULDFACILITATEBUSINESSACCORDINGTOHUBLERTHEFUNCTIONOFHEDGEISTOREDUCETHECHANCESOFNEGATION,WHICHCOULDSAVEBOTHOFTHEADDRESSERSANDTHEADDRESSEESFACESOITISVERYIMPORTANTTOPAYATTENTIONTOTHEPRINCIPLEOFPOLITENESSINBUSINESSCORRESPONDS,ANDITISAPRAGMATICPRINC
40、IPLEWEMUSTFOLLOWCHANNELSUMMARIZEDTHATONEOFTHEPURPOSESOFUSINGVAGUELANGUAGEISFORUSINGLANGUAGEPERSUASIVELY3ASABUSYMANAGER,YOUAPPRECIATETHEIMPORTANCEOFMEETINGDEADLINESCUSTOMERSDEMANDPROMPTSERVICEONTHEOTHERHAND,YOUARESENSITIVETOYOUREMPLOYEESNEEDWHENTHEDAYISTOOHECTICFORANHOURAWAYFORLUNCH,EMPLOYEEPERFORMAN
41、CECANSUFFERGORDONSDELIHASASOLUTIONTHATWILLPERFECTLYSERVEYOURNEEDSTHEADDRESSERUSES“PROMPT”AND“PERFECTLY”TODESCRIBETHESERVICEWHICHISDEMANDEDBYTHECUSTOMERANDTHEQUALITYSERVICETHEYOFFERRESPECTIVELYTHETWOWORDSGIVETHEINFORMATIONTHATWHATYOUNEEDISJUSTWHATTHEFAXFOODSERVICEOFFERS,THISSERVICEMAYBEYOURRIGHTCHOIC
42、EANDITISMOREPERSUASIVETHANEXPRESSTHEMEANDIRECTLY52ENHANCINGTHEFLEXIBILITYOFBUSINESSLANGUAGEPRECISENESSANDACCURATEISINDISPENSABLEINBUSINESSBUTSOMETIMEWENEEDVAGUELANGUAGETOAVOIDTHECONVERSATIONBETOOABSOLUTEBECAUSESOMEQUESTIONSAREBEYONDYOURAUTHORITYORITISTHEIMPROPERTIMETOANSWERTHESEQUESTIONSVAGUELANGUAG
43、ESUPPLIESARELATIVELYFLEXIBLESPACEFORPEOPLEINBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONTOMOVEBACKANDFROTHEADDRESSERLEAVESMOREROOMFORMANEUVERINLATERBUSINESSCOMMUNICATIONTHISKINDOFLANGUAGEFLEXIBILITYCANMAKECERTAININTENTIONSREALIZED1OURCARGOWILLARRIVEATTHEENDOFJUNETHEADDRESSERDOESNTPOINTTHEACCURATEDATEOFDELIVERYBECAUSEHECAN
44、TMAKESURE“ATTHEENDOFJUNE”NOTONLYEXPRESSESTHEPROBABLEDATEOFDELIVERYBUTALSOGIVEMOREROOMFORTHECOMPANYINBUSINESSACTIVITIES,WHENSOMEQUESTIONSHASBEENOUTOFTHEEXTENTOFYOURCOMPETENCEORYOUDONTTHINKITSAGOODTIMETOSAY,VAGUELANGUAGEISAGOODCHOICE2ITSATTHEDISPOSALOFTHEBOARDWEWILLGIVEYOUOURREPLYASSOONASPOSSIBLEALTHO
45、UGHITPOINTS“ASSOONASPOSSIBLE”,STILLDOESNTGIVETHEACCURATETIMEANDITALLDEPENDSONTHEBOARDSTHOUGHTS3OURPRICESCOMPAREFAVORABLYWITHTHOSEOFFEREDBYOTHERMANUFACTURESEITHERINEUROPEORANYWHEREELSE,ANDWEAREONEOFTHEBESTMANUFACTURERSINTHISLINEHEREAREOURLATESTPRICESHEETS,YOULLSEEOURPRICESHEETS,ANDYOULLSEEOURPRICESAR
46、EMOSTCOMPETITIVESELLERUSES“ORANYWHEREELSE,ONEOFTHEBEST,MOSTCOMPETITIVETOATTRACTTHEPURCHASERSALTHOUGHITDOESNTDESCRIBECOMPANYSPRODUCTIONS,ITMAKESAGOODIMPRESSIONTHEBUYERTHINKSTHISCOMPANYISABETTERCHOICEASCHANNEL2000ARGUES,VAGUELANGUAGEMAYBEUSEDASASAFEGUARDAGAINSTBEINGLATERSHOWNTOBEWRONGINHISREGARDFROMTH
47、EANALYSISOFTHEABOVEEXAMPLES,WECANSEETHATTHEADDRESSERMAYHAVETHEINITIATIVEINBUSINESSTRANSACTIONBYUSINGVAGUELANGUAGEATTHESAMETIME,ITENHANCESTHECOOPERATIONBETWEENTHETWOPARTIES53MAKINGTHEEXPRESSIONMOREACCURATESOMETIMESTHEEXPRESSIONWITHVAGUELANGUAGESEEMSMOREACCURATEBECAUSETHEUNCERTAINTYOFOBJECTIVETHINGSAM
48、ERICANPHILOSOPHERHPGRICESUGGESTEDTHATINCOMMUNICATION,PEOPLESHOULDFOLLOWTHEBASICPRINCIPLE“COOPERATIVEPRINCIPLE”TOGUARANTEETHEDIALOGUESUCCESSIN1967HEPUTTEDFORWARDTHEFOURMAXIMSTHEMAXIMOFQUANTITY,THEMAXIMOFQUALITY,THEMAXIMOFRELEVANCEANDTHEMAXIMOFMANNERTHEMAXIMOFQUALITYREQUIRESPROVIDINGFACTUALINFORMATION
49、ANDITISNOTPERMITTEDTOSAYTHEWORDSWHICHAREFICTITIOUSORLACKINGOFSUFFICIENTEVIDENCETHEVAGUELANGUAGEINBUSINESSCORRESPONDSFOLLOWSTHEMAXIMOFQUALITY1ASFARASWEKNOW,INSURANCECOMPANIESACCEPTGOODSPACKEDINCARTONSTOBEINSUREDAGAINSTTPNDTHEADDRESSERWANTSTOPROVIDETHEINFORMATIONABOUTCARGOINSURANCETORESTTHEBUYERSHEARTBUTHEISNOTSUREABOUTWEATHERTHISINFORMATIONISTRUE,SOHEUSES“ASFARASWEKNOW”ITMEANSITSJUSTTHEINFORMATIONWEKNOW,WECANTGUARANTEEITSTRUTH2ITSEEMSTHATTHECOSTINTHISYEARWOULDBEABOUTFOURHUNDREDMILLIONDOLLARSTHEADDRESSERUSE“ITSEEMS”AND“ABOUTFOURHUNDREDMILLIONDOLLARS”TOF
